1. Field of the Invention
The subject disclosure relates in general to a baffle assembly for directing airflow to a charge air cooler mounted within a vehicle engine compartment defined by at least an upper structure and a lower structure of a vehicle frame. More specifically, the subject disclosure relates to a baffle assembly for directing air to a charge air cooler mounted above a radiator module and behind a hood latch support bracket that extends between the upper and lower structures of the vehicle frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This section provides background information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art.
Many internal combustion engines include turbochargers configured to force more air mass into an engine's intake manifold and combustion chamber. However, increased air pressure leads to increased air intake temperatures which reduce any performance gains from turbocharging due to decreased density. Increased air intake temperatures can also increase the cylinder combustion temperature, causing detonation, excessive wear, or heat damage to an engine block or pistons. Accordingly, it is known to use a charge air cooler in conjunction with a turbocharger to compensate for the increased heating caused by turbocharging. Such charge air coolers may be used with both gasoline and diesel engines.
Charge air coolers that exchange their heat directly with the ambient air are designed to be mounted within areas of a vehicle that are exposed to maximum air flow. One such area is near a front body structure beam of the vehicle where it will receive and be exposed to a path of incoming ambient air through a front grille or fascia of the vehicle. In this front-mounted arrangement, the charge air cooler can be placed below a radiator module, on the side of the radiator module, in front of the radiator module, and above or on top of the radiator module. However, when the charge air cooler is placed above or on top of the radiator module, the presence of a hood latch support bracket extending between the upper and lower structures of a vehicle frame can block and restrict the airflow path entering from the front fascia grille and traveling to the charge air cooler. The recirculation and turbulence produced behind this blocking structure (i.e., the hood latch support bracket) distorts the airflow to the charge air cooler, leading to less effectiveness of the charge air cooler because it receives an unevenly distributed airflow at a lower mass flow rate.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for an improved baffle assembly for use with a charge air cooler mounted above a radiator module and behind a hood latch support bracket of the vehicle frame.